E-Commerce Times Talkback

Skype has purchased VoIP provider Sonorit for about US$27 million in eBay stock. The transaction includes Sonorit's U.S. subsidiary Camino Networks. Sonorit and Camino specialized in technology to enhance the quality of VoIP conversations, which is considered to be trailing behind copper wire telephone connections.

this is Skype / eBay move in the right direction to complete with Microsoft, Google, AOL and Yahoo, Skype core biz is voice and it cannot afford to depend on the 3rd party license, but must own the core voice technology, like Microsoft does.However Sonorit/Camino is too small (less then 10 people), was formed as a company just several months ago, has no shipping product, has no single customer, so this acquisition does not solve Skype technology hole yet.This acquisition is not to avoid paying royalties to GIPS, this is strategic Skype technology move to compete with Microsoft, Google, AOL and Yahoo, there are several clear less costy ways for Skype to stop paying royalties to GIPS.This acquisition validates again high market prices for software voice technology companies, like Skype itself, GIPS, Camino and SPIRIT DSP